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Equipment RequirementsScopes are recommended but not required. We recommend wide angle binoculars, something within the range of 7x35, 8x40 or even 10x50 with good light gathering characteristics. Although light and comfortable, pocket binoculars don't work as well in low light conditions.

Itinerary for Jan 12 — Jan 27, 2015

Description: Small, family-run lodge located on the shores of Crooked Tree Lagoon, within the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.
The lodge is located approximately 33 miles from downtown Belize City and only 23 miles from the international airport.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Additional nights before: Subject to availability.Room type and rates are based on lodge availability. Please contact 1-800-866-7111 or roadscholarprograms@holbrooktravel.com for help in booking additional nights.

Note: Two arrival group transfers will be provided from the international airport in Belize City to the hotel at Crooked Tree. Participants will need to complete Immigration and Customs procedures before leaving the secured area of the airport and entering the arrivals hall. The Road Scholar representative will be standing next to the tourist information desk in the international arrivals hall with a Road Scholar sign. The transfers will depart at 2:00 pm and at 5:00 pm.

Arrive To: International flight arrivals into Belize City's Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE). Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport

Meet your group leader and fellow Road Scholar participants during a welcome and introduction session at the hotel. We will review the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have.

Transfer to Crooked Tree (approximately 30 minutes driving time).

Please be aware that program activities and scheduled times could change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Arrive at the lodge and check-in.

Pre-dinner orientation to the program.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Search for potoos, owls, and nighthawks during an evening birding exploration around the lodge.

Description: Small, family-run lodge located on the shores of Crooked Tree Lagoon, within the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.
The lodge is located approximately 33 miles from downtown Belize City and only 23 miles from the international airport.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Additional nights before: Subject to availability.Room type and rates are based on lodge availability. Please contact 1-800-866-7111 or roadscholarprograms@holbrooktravel.com for help in booking additional nights.

Morning: Today, enjoy a full day of birding activities in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. Bird along the lagoon and its tributaries in search of Wood and Jabiru Storks, Bare-throated Tiger and Boat-billed Herons, Black-collared Hawks, Snail Kites, Neotropic Cormorants, Anhingas, Limpkins, and American Pygmy Kingfishers.

Crooked Tree's subtropical freshwater complex is a vital habitat for migratory and resident wetland species, a fact that led it to be designated a RAMSAR site (#946) in 1998. The sanctuary contains streams, creeks, marshes, and shallow lagoons.

Large numbers of wading birds flock to the lagoons during Belize's dry season (February through May) when food is harder to find in other regions of the country and in nearby Guatemala and Mexico.

Lunch: At the lodge restaurant.

Afternoon: Lecture: Mesoamerica - A Birder's Paradise

Continue birding in Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.

A network of boardwalks provides access to the protected forests and savanna at Crooked Tree, while well-placed observation towers offer nice views of the lagoons.

Although the Sanctuary is a birdwatcher's paradise, it also protects a variety of other wildlife including coatimundi, black howler monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, otters, and iguanas.

Return to the lodge.

Dinner: Prior to dinner after ordering, join your group leader in a bird list review.

At the lodge restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: Cahal Pech Village Resort is located across from the Cahal Pech archaeological site and only 15 minutes from the Guatemala/Belize border. The best features of this property are its unparalleled views of the Belize River Valley and its lush tropical gardens. Guests can enjoy watching local birds such as Collared Aracaris eating fruit from a bird feeder while sitting for breakfast.

Morning: After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and begin transfer to San Ignacio with a stop at the Belize Zoo.

The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center was founded in 1983. The organization was born from an effort to provide a safe haven for a number of wild animals that, ironically, had been used in the making of documentaries about tropical forests. The zoo and its education center encompass 29 acres of tropical savanna and house more than 125 animals native to Belize.

Weather and time permitting, we will attempt to do some birding en route.

Lunch: At a local restaurant en route.

Afternoon: Arrive at the hotel and check-in.

Afternoon birding in the Cahal Pech Mayan ruins, located just a 5-minute walk from our hotel.

The Maya ruins at Cahal Pech are located on a hilltop, just 1 mile south of downtown San Ignacio in Belize’s Cayo District. The name Cahal Pech (kah-hahl pech) means “Place of Ticks”—a nickname given in the 1950s when cattle, laden with ticks, grazed in the area. Archeologists currently believe that Cahal Pech was probably established by Maya from Guatemala during the Early Middle Preclassic period, making it one of the oldest Maya settlements in Belize. Excavations have revealed seven interconnected plazas and various buildings including two ball courts and the site’s tallest temple—structure A-1. The jungle-like environment surrounding the ruins supports a variety of wildlife including Blue-crowned Motmots, Collared Aracaris, and Rose-throated Becards.

Return to the hotel.
Pre-dinner lecture on the wildlife of Belize.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: Cahal Pech Village Resort is located across from the Cahal Pech archaeological site and only 15 minutes from the Guatemala/Belize border. The best features of this property are its unparalleled views of the Belize River Valley and its lush tropical gardens. Guests can enjoy watching local birds such as Collared Aracaris eating fruit from a bird feeder while sitting for breakfast.

Morning: Early morning transfer to Mountain Pine Ridge (1 - 1.5 hours) for a full day of birding in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, looking for local specialties.

The Mountain Pine Ridge area of Belize reveals a vegetation and landscape that is very different from the country's predominantly tropical environment. Mountainous terrain and Caribbean pine forests serve as home to Stygian Owls, King Vultures, Ocellated Turkeys, Red-lored Parrots, Blue-crowned Motmots, as well as the rarely seen Orange-breasted Falcon.

Lunch: At the lodge restaurant.

Afternoon: After a break for lunch, continue birding in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest.

Transfer back to San Ignacio.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: The Camino Real Tikal is set in the heart of the Peten Jungle, close to the island of Flores and within a 45-minute drive to Tikal National Park. This property offers a great starting point for exploring Tikal and the surrounding area.

Morning: After breakfast we will check-out of the lodge and begin our transfer to Tikal, Guatemala. Our journey will include a stop at the border between Belize and Guatemala to undergo Immigration/Customs procedures.

Arrival in Tikal National Park.

Tikal brings to mind images straight out of an Indiana Jones movie, with massive Mayan temples rising above the steamy rainforest canopy. No matter whether your interests lean more towards history and archaeology or towards botany and wildlife--this site has enough to please everyone! The 22,100 hectares of rainforest in and around Tikal protect a wide range of insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and plant life. Some iconic wildlife found within the park includes spider monkeys, margays, ocelots, jaguarundis, tapirs, howler monkeys, Ocellated Turkeys, coatis, and giant anteaters.

Archaeologists unearthed thousands of structures once swallowed by the Peten region’s dense tropical jungle. The large Mayan city has more than 4,000 buildings and features some of the tallest temples in the Mayan world. An impressive network of causeways, aqueducts and canals served as an irrigation system and provided drinking water for the city. The city remains a testament to the masterful engineering of the Maya.

Lunch: At local restaurant en route.

Afternoon: After lunch continue with transfer to the Tikal. Arrive at the hotel and check-in.

Transfer to Biotopo Cerro Cahui for afternoon birding activities in the reserve.

The Biotopo Cerro Cahuí is located in the Petén region of Guatemala, along the road to Tikal National Park. Declared a protected area in 1989, it is one of the last remaining tracts of undisturbed forest (high and medium broad-leaved forest and lowland forest) in the area. Urbanization of the Petén region and the expansion of agriculture and cattle ranching pose a serious threat to the wellbeing of this and other natural areas in northern Guatemala. The reserve is home to 11 amphibian, 17 reptile, and 29 mammal species including howler monkeys and jaguars. At least thirteen of the 82 recorded bird species at this reserve are classified as endangered by Guatemala’s National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP). Birds seen at this site include Ocellated Turkeys, King Vultures, Plain Chachalacas, Emerald Toucanets, Bicolored Hawks, Black-hawk Eagles, and Yellow-breasted Chats.

Return to the hotel.
Pre-dinner lecture: Tikal - Where Only Legend Survives.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: The Camino Real Tikal is set in the heart of the Peten Jungle, close to the island of Flores and within a 45-minute drive to Tikal National Park. This property offers a great starting point for exploring Tikal and the surrounding area.

Breakfast: Early morning birding activities. Cookies and coffee will be provided to help tide us over until breakfast.

Return to the hotel for breakfast.

Morning: After breakfast, transfer to Tikal National Park.

Tikal brings to mind images straight out of an Indiana Jones movie, with massive Mayan temples rising above the steamy rainforest canopy. No matter whether your interests lean more towards history and archaeology or towards botany and wildlife--this site has enough to please everyone! The 22,100 hectares of rainforest in and around Tikal protect a wide range of insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and plant life. Some iconic wildlife found within the park includes spider monkeys, margays, ocelots, jaguarundis, tapirs, howler monkeys, Ocellated Turkeys, Keel-billed Toucans, Slaty-tailed Trogons, coatis, and giant anteaters.

Archaeologists unearthed thousands of structures once swallowed by the Petén region’s dense tropical jungle. The large Mayan city has more than 4,000 buildings and features some of the tallest temples in the Mayan world. An impressive network of causeways, aqueducts and canals served as an irrigation system and provided drinking water for the city. The city remains a testament to the masterful engineering of the Maya.

Lunch: At Tikal National Park.

Afternoon: Continue with birding activities within the Tikal National Park.

Tikal is home to 410 bird species in addition to some 50 migrant species that frequent the area during the North American winter. Registered species include the Collared Aracari, Emerald Toucanet, American Pygmy Flycatcher, Eye-ringed Flatbill Flycatcher, Royal Flycatcher, Roadside Hawk, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Blue-crowned Motmot, Stripe-throated Hermit, Crested Guan, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Montezuma's Oropendula, Brown-hooded Parrot, White-crowned Parrot, Red-lored Parrot, and more!

Return to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Morning: After a restful night we transfer to Biotopo del Quetzal for a full day of birding.

The Biotopo del Quetzal helps to protect approximately 1,000 hectares of tropical cloud forest in Guatemala's Alta Verapaz region. This is home to the colorful and elusive Resplendent Quetzal--Guatemala's national bird. While walking along the forest trails, take the time to admire the bromeliads, mosses, and orchid varieties that thrive in the moist, mountainous environment.

Lunch: At the hotel restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch we will return to Biotopo del Quetzal for more birding and an on-site lecture.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: The oldest hotel in Copan, the Marina Copan overlooks the Central Plaza on a former family estate. The hotel, built in traditional style, has been updated with modern facilities while retaining its colonial charm.

Morning: After breakfast, check-out of hotel. Say farewell to Guatemala and begin transfer to Copan, Honduras. Stop at the border between Guatemala and Honduras in order to undergo standard Immigration and Customs procedures before continuing the journey to Copan.

Arrive at the hotel and check-in.

Lunch: At the hotel restaurant.

Afternoon: Enjoy an afternoon birding in the Copan Forest. In addition to the well known Mayan city, Copan is also an important migration bird pathway. There is also a big number of resident birds as well such as Blue-crowned Motmots, Turquoise-browed Motmots, and Barred Antshrike.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: The oldest hotel in Copan, the Marina Copan overlooks the Central Plaza on a former family estate. The hotel, built in traditional style, has been updated with modern facilities while retaining its colonial charm.

Breakfast: Early morning birding activities in pine tree forest at Copan. Cookies and coffee will be provided to help tide us over until breakfast.

Return to the hotel for a full breakfast.

Morning: Midmorning visit to the Copan ruins.

Copán has none of the towering pyramids and temples that are characteristic of other Mayan cities. The splendors of Copán are represented by its beautiful carvings, inscriptions, and paintings. The Great Plaza, the ball court, several lesser courts, and amphitheater that lie near the base of the Hieroglyphic Stairway are symbolic of the boundaries between the actual and supernatural worlds as games were metaphors for the struggle between good and evil. The Stairway, which has 63 steps, is inscribed with a partial history of Copán and is the longest extant Mayan inscription.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Visit the Mayan site at Las Sepulturas and take advantage of the riverside location to do some afternoon birdwatching.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: This enchanting lodge is tucked away at the base of the Pico Bonito National Park, among 400 acres of lush tropical forest. The lodge's natural surroundings and peaceful atmosphere make it hard to believe that this property is only 20 minutes from La Ceiba's airport.

Lancetilla's botanical collection was established in 1925 by famed American explorer and tropical botanist, Wilson Popenoe. He was given the task of establishing an experimental garden where fruit trees and ornamentals from around the world could be cultivated and eventually brought to market by the United Fruit Company. Today Lancetilla boasts over 630 species of plants and has one of the world's largest collections of Asian fruits. It is also a birder's paradise with at least 360 recorded species from October-April!

Arrive at the lodge and check-in.

Dinner: At the lodge restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Description: This enchanting lodge is tucked away at the base of the Pico Bonito National Park, among 400 acres of lush tropical forest. The lodge's natural surroundings and peaceful atmosphere make it hard to believe that this property is only 20 minutes from La Ceiba's airport.

Pico Bonito National Park is Honduras' largest, and arguably its most beautiful, national park with over 100,000 hectares of virgin rainforest and cloud forest. Seven different eco-systems exist within its borders. The Park is home to over 275 species of birds as well as jaguars, tapirs, deer, puma, white-faced monkeys, and spider monkeys.

Description: This enchanting lodge is tucked away at the base of the Pico Bonito National Park, among 400 acres of lush tropical forest. The lodge's natural surroundings and peaceful atmosphere make it hard to believe that this property is only 20 minutes from La Ceiba's airport.

Breakfast: Early morning breakfast at the lodge. Then transfer to the tropical dry forest at Olanchito at 4:30 am.

Morning: Full day of birding activities in Olanchito, in the Valle del Aguán. Olanchito's dry tropical ecosystem is home to White-bellied Wrens as well as the country's only endemic species--the Honduran Emerald hummingbird. Other target species include the Lesser Roadrunner, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, White-collared Seedeater, Cinnamon Hummingbird, and Gray-crowned Yellowthroat.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, continue with birding activities in the Olanchito area.

Return to the lodge.

Dinner: At the lodge restaurant.

Evening: Join your group leader in a bird list review session and a briefing of next day's activities.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights after: Subject to availability.Room type and rates are subject to hotel availability. Please contact the program provider, Holbrook Travel, at 1-800-866-7111 or roadscholarprograms@holbrooktravel.com for assistance in booking additional nights.

Depart From: Transfer to the international airport for flights back to the U.S.

This concludes the program. We hope you enjoyed your Road Scholar adventure! When you get home, remember to stay in touch via the Road Scholar Social Network; share memories, pictures, and comments about your recent travels.

Note: Participants with independent travel arrangements and/or scheduled on later flights can keep their hotel rooms until check-out time on this day. Except for breakfast, all other meals are on your own on this day.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Need Help?

The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!